1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fixing devices, more particularly to a fixing device for use in an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
As an invention relevant to a conventional fixing device, for example, a fixing device described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 5-188805 is known. This fixing device includes a thermal roller, a pressure roller, a heater, and a reflector. The thermal roller and the pressure roller are in contact with each other under pressure. The heater is provided in the thermal roller in order to heat the thermal roller. The reflector partially surrounds the thermal roller in order to reflect radiation heat of the thermal roller back toward the thermal roller. In this manner, by providing the reflector, heat loss in the fixing device is reduced.
Incidentally, in the fixing device described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 5-188805, heated air between the thermal roller and the reflector flows out of the space between the thermal roller and the reflector because of an air flow generated by the rotation of the thermal roller. Accordingly, the fixing device described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 5-188805 can reduce heat loss only to an insufficient degree.